The Growing
by Fighterbyheart
Summary: Thala is not just a young dwarrowdam. Growing up with Balin as a father and Dwalin as an uncle she knows how to deal with her enemies. Which is perfect for the company of Thorin Oakenshield. But her past is coming in her way more than once, and eventhough Fili is by her side she needs to face who she truely is.


**Hi my dear readers.**

 **I just updated my very first chapter! I hope it got a little bit more catchy and I hope you like it! Thanks to the two lovely messages I got from drizzleandflames and hillslikewhiteelephants, your tips helped me alot! :)**

 **I have to say at this point that english is not my native language so please have mercy with me but f** **eel free to tell me what you think of the story or my spelling ;) and what I could do better.**

 **So have fun guys and the next chapter is on the way!**

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When the door opened in front of Thala and Balin a rather confused little fellow stood in front of them. "Balin and Thalanin, at your service" Balin said, a bow following. Thala didn't like it when Balin called her by her full name. She preferred her name shortened, but who could change the mind of an elder dwarf. "Good evening" was all the hobbit could utter. Balin entered the doorway first, while he was praising the beauty of this night. "Are we late?" He asked. "Father!" Thala interrupted her fathers' rather brisk tone. "Mr. Baggins I hope we're not to late nor to early?"

There wasn't any noise to hear and Thala was sure if there would've been some dwarves in there, she would've noticed them miles ago. "Late for what?" Mr. Baggins asked, looking at both of them with a deep frown on his face. "Oho! Evening brother." Before Thala could explain anything to the small person before her, Balin moved away from her side almost shouting these words to a tall figure. Thalas' attention was taken away from the hobbit and the bold silhouette took Balin into a fierce hug. A little smile appeared on her face as Dwalin took notice of her. "Oh look who you brought with you little brother! I didn't know she would come as well" Dwalin said. His eyes suddenly showed something which he didn't show that often, pure happiness. "Dwalin!" Thala moved away from Mr. Baggins rather quickly and ran into her uncles' arms. He lifted her of her feet, as he did every time they saw each other. "Thala! Let me look at you properly. Oh you haven't changed a bit, always the same small dwarfling with her cheeky smile on her face." She hit him on his upper arm by hearing these words. She knew she'd never be anything else in his opinion. Even though he knew what she could do in war, it seemed he never wanted to see her in any different way.

As soon as they stopped teasing each other, the elder brothers went straight to the pantry. Thala wasn't really hungry that night. It wasn't like she wouldn't love food, especially if it was a feast, but this night she felt to nervous to eat much. Nervous she would fail on this quest, fail Thorin. Not that she wouldn't have proven herself in battle already but let's face it, a dragon was not on top of her bucket list. Forgetting the time she moved around in the small house as the bell rang again. When Mr. Baggins opened the door, she recognized the voices of the two young Durinbrothers. "Fili and Kili, at your service." Mr. Baggins didn't seem to be happy by the arrival of two more dwarfs. Well, one couldn't blame him, Thala thought.

She decided to inspect the house a little more as she found a mirror hanging on the wall of the small dining room she just entered. Her sapphire blue eyes examined her warm chestnut brown hair. It was a little bit longer than her armpit and lightly curled. She had two smaller braids on the left and two, in the same size, on the right side of her head. The one on top was much thicker and she loved this one the most. It reached from her forehead back down to tips of her hair. Her grandmother used to say that she lookes like a warrior princess, every time Thala wanted to braid her hair like this. She missed her grandmother so much. It was also her who sewed Thala a beautiful dark blue coat which she wore whenever she would travel far.

"Fili, Kili come on give us a hand" she could hear her uncle say. "Mr. Dwalin" Kili replied. As soon as they came around the corner Thala moved away from the mirror. "Oh my, look who it is, if this isn't the lovely lady Thala", Kili chuckled. Thala took a towel which was lying near her, and smashed it against Kilis chest. "And Mr. Kili has forgotten how to greet a lady properly as it seems." Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Fili coming around the corner grinning.

"So what do you've got left for me? I hope it's not just an angry hit with a tiny towel." Thala smiled. "Well, depends on your behaviour. If your manners are as poorly as your brothers' I might have to take even a larger one." By these words Fili took a step forward, took her in a tight hug and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Thala loved the closeness between them, she always enjoyed the way they came along. She had to think of the time they were kids and how they played with each other. He was her best friend and by the time she realized her soul mate. A little chuckle rose within her when she thought of how they became a couple a view years ago. She got ripped out of her thoughts fast when Fili let go of her and the dwarves around her started to arrange the dining room so everyone would fit in.

Thala helped Kili to move a showcase out of the way, as she realised what was within it. Plates in different variety's and as colourful as only your fantasy could imagine. "By Mahal, this little Hobbit is an older soul than I thougt" Kili said. He was right, they looked awfully grandmother-like. Suddenly she heard a loud laugh out of the corner on her left. "Well Kee we could take some of them with us and bring them back to our beloved mother. You know, so you could replace some of the ones you stole from her." Thala couldn't keep back her laugh that was rising within her. "Don't remind me of this!" Kili said, his head getting close to a tomato-red. "Oh come on, Kili, I'm sure that this one girl was very happy about the plates you brought with you every time you saw her", Thala said. "Would you please stop this! It's a story of old! She was my very first love what do you expect of me?" Kili was painfully reminded at the time he thought girls would only like stuff which had to do something with cooking. So he brought his first romance, who he had in his child years a plate of Dis' mother every time they saw each other. Sadly the girl got very angry and he didn't know why. "Well at least she didn't expect anything of boys anymore. I guess the next one had it a little bit easier than you" Thala said. Kili only grumbled something to himself and continued to arrange the room as they all did.

The Bell rang again and a rather angry Bilbo walked to the big green door shouting: "No! There's nobody home! Go away and bother somebody else! There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is. If this is some clot-head's idea of a joke, I can only say it is in very poor taste!" As he opened the door Thala could hear many "ohs" and "ouches" along the sound of falling dwarves. Followed by the others she ran to the door to see who else arrived in Bag End and to help everyone getting back on their feet.

"Thank you lass, I'm glad you came here as well! You look like you haven't been eating for weeks. Thank Durin we're in this lovely Hobbits-Home, Gandalf said there would be lots of food." She couldn't stop but taking Bofur into her arms and giggling by his words. "Nice to see you too Bofur! You haven't changed a bit." But as quick as her giggling started as quick it stopped again by the sight of the tall wizard behind them. The last meeting they had wasn't the greatest pleasure she experienced. A piercing pain ran through her chest and her eyes started to tear as she felt a hand grabbing hers. She didn't realise she wasn't holding Bofur in her arms anymore and that all of the dwarves including Gandalf were gathering in the dining room. "Are you coming?" Fili asked. Thala looked up to him grumbling a short "yes" and headed to the dining room.

She ignored Filis' concerned look and wanted to go straight for a spot next to Bofur. But before she could reach him, Fili held her back. "Thala don't be worried, it'll just need some time."

"Well, I know but what if I'm going to fail on this quest? What if I'm simply not good enough? Fili what if after all this time Thorin is going to regret that I've grown up alongside his kin? What if he regrets his decision to make me a part of the company?"

"No Thala, stop it! I know this is never going to happen!" Filis ocean blue eyes were fixing hers. "He can be proud to call you part of his company and he will never regret his decision to keep you a part of the family, I'm sure of it." Thala couldn't look into her beloved ones' eyes anymore. Although her heart went from racing to a slow regular pulse she didn't feel calm at all. Fili put his hand on her chin and raised it so she had to look at him again. "Thala, talk to Gandalf once more, please. I'm sure he can help you to get calmer inside yourself. So you won't have to worry about such absurd thingsanymore." She was glad that Fili always found the right words whenever she was worried about something. In a way he knew she would be worried before she even knew herself.

"I guess if you say so it must be true", she said with a small smile getting brighter. Filis' face seemed to get softer as well and he let go of her. "And you're right, Thorin should know who the better fighter between the two of us is." With a cheeky smile she wanted to turn around but Fili once again held her back. "You wish so" he said with a deep voice and his eyes getting darker. Still smiling Thala finally turned around and went for her spot on the Table.

"Oh Thala you're just in time for some fresh ale!" Bofur said. Thala chuckled upon Bofurs' announcement. "How could I say no to this? By the way where is all the cheese gone? I thought there were blocks of it." Bofur nodded to Bombur who was just eating another egg. "I should have known it" Thala said laughing in Bomburs' direction. "But don't worry lass there're still some potatoes left. Oh and I kept this safe for you." Bofur gave her a plate with some cheese, ham, potatoes, tomatoes and a piece of bread. "And if you want some soup there's still something left in the kitchen."

"This is amazing thank you Bofur but this plate would be enough for two! Thanks for keeping it safe from the others." Thala grinned at her fellow dwarf to her left. When she looked at him she could see the figure of the little hobbit in the corridor, whom this food actually belonged to. He looked angry and still a bit confused. She felt sorry for Mr. Baggins, he really didn't expect that many guests. Well any guests in fact, especially no guests like them. But her attention was taken away as Fili climbed the table and gave out some more ale. She started a conversation about money and investments with Gloin who was sitting to her right side. It always felt like years would go by while he was explaining her how to keep her money safe and how to handle on a market. She was never much of a banker or anything close to it, but Gloin didn't care at all.

After the dwarves finished having dinner and all of them started to clean the dining room, getting all the things back to where they belonged to, Thala got more and more tired. "You didn't seem to be happy with my company" She heard Gandalf say from behind where she was resting. "Gandalf, my friend, don't take it too personally, but seeing you ripped some old wounds wide open." "I never would my dear. I'm more interested in how you're feeling?" He looked at her, already knowing the answer. Thala wasn't in the mood for a talk about her eruptions of her identity and was relieved when Gandalf didn't make her to. "Well, I guess there is enough time on our adventure isn't it?" he said smiling. Thala smiled back as she suprisingly heard Kili starting a song.

Blunt the knives and bend the forks!

Smash the bottles and burn the corks!

Chip the glasses and crack the plates!

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates

Cut the cloth and tread the fat!

Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!

Pour the milk on the pantry floor!

Splash the wine on every door!

Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;

Pound them up with a thumping pole;

And when you've finished, if any are whole,

Send them down the hall to roll!

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!


End file.
